Review | Future Imperfect by K. Ryer Breese

Title: Future Imperfect
Author: K. Ryer Breese
Genre: YA - Paranormal/Fantasy
Publication: 04.26.2011 by St. Martin's Griffin
Pages: 320
Source: ARC for review from Star Book Tours

Summary: Ade Patience can see the future and it's destroying his life. When the seventeen-year-old Mantlo High School student knocks himself unconscious, he can see days and decades into his own future. Ade's the best of Denver's "divination" underground and eager to join the heralded Mantlo Diviners, a group of similarly enabled teens. Yet, unlike the Diviners, Ade Patience doesn't see the future out of curiosity or good will; Ade gives himself concussions because he's addicted to the high, the Buzz, he gets when he breaks the laws of physics. And while there have been visions he's wanted to change, Ade knows the Rule: You can't change the future, no matter how hard you try.
His memory is failing, his grades are in a death spiral, and both Ade's best friend and his shrink are begging him to stop before he kills himself. Ade knows he needs to straighten-out. Luckily, the stunning Vauxhall Rodolfo has just transferred to Mantlo and, as Ade has seen her in a vision two years previously, they're going to fall in love. It's just the motivation Ade needs to kick his habit. Only things are a bit more complicated. Vauxhall has an addiction of her own, and, after a a vision in which he sees Vauxhall's close friend, Jimmy, drown while he looks on seemingly too wasted to move, Ade realizes that he must break the one rule he's been told he can't.

The pair must overcome their addictions and embrace their love for each other in order to do the impossible: change the future.

Cover: I liked the ARC cover better because it was blue-ish and had both a guy and girl, but I didn't like that both had the train tracks, since it wasn't so important in the story.

Thoughts: It started off interesting enough to keep me wanting to find out what happens next. Ade Patience can see his future (and only his) if he is knocked out. Addicted to the "high" he gets after seeing the future, Ade spends countless days trying to look into the future. That means, throwing himself off buildings head first, getting beat up by anyone willing to fight him, car crashes, etc. It starts off with several painful scenes as Ade tries to get his next "high." I thought this idea was unique and very intriguing, but I was a little frustrated with Ade because of his constant need to hurt himself. He always had a bandaged head and was always looking for new ways to hurt himself. Not only that, but doctors constantly told him he could eventually become brain damaged or lose his memory complete. Sure of himself (because after all, he has seen his future) Ade continues his painful process until he meets Vauxhall.

Vaux is the girl of his dreams...literally. Ade saw her in his future and knew at once she was the one. Waiting for her for years, he knew exactly when she was going to show up in his life. What Ade didn't expect, but wasn't too surprised to learn was that Vaux, like him, had a secret that she's addicted to as well. Vauxhall was interesting, but I thought she was a little weak and I really couldn't understand what Ade exactly loved about her, other than her looks. Their relationship, although having a few connections, seemed sort of vague and was really...well, weird. Ade and his mother also have a weird relationship. His mother, in a strange way, is supportive of his actions; she always cares for him after he is hurt and writes down his visions. She seemed like a helpless woman, and she made me angry, because she never stopped Ade. He was constantly hurting himself, yet she stood by and sort of let things happen...because she thought its his calling from God. Really? We'll leave that one alone.

The Diviners were thrown in about halfway through the book, and I didn't like the idea of them too much. Ade has lived his whole life in his town, and he never noticed that there was a whole society of people like him? It doesn't make sense. Or maybe those concussions are getting to him. They are a mysterious group of people with "powers" like Ade's, and although somewhat interesting, they seemed like a knock-off version of X-Men to me. They seemed like an essential part of the story to sort of move it along, but I think it could've been developed better and really, except for one or two of them, there was not much point of them being involved.

Several other characters in the book were a lot more likable, I thought, although only had minor roles. Ade's best friend, Paige, had been watching him and supporting him for years. She hates what he does to himself (finally, a reasonable woman!) and constantly threatens him with never speaking to him if he doesn't stop, but never goes through with it cause she cares for him too much. Ade's psychiatrist is the only...well, fully educated person who doesn't think he's totally insane. Instead, he's very supportive, and although does not always agree, helps Ade along the way with his "addiction." Oh, and lets not forget Jimmy, a strange character who Ade sees in his visions, which then causes Ade to go against the rules to try and change the future which helps lead the story in a different direction.

After we are introduced to all the characters, which is about halfway I thought it got a little confusing and I sort of lost interest. Towards the last couple of chapters though, it picked up the pace and a lot more was happening, secrets revealed, and some action. I must admit, I was a little satisfied with how it ended, but didn't think it should've been such a nice-wrapped up conclusion.

Overall, this book is quite a ride. It has a few slow moments and at times can even be frustrating, if not confusing, but the story is definitely unique. I am hoping the author's future novels are just as different, with a better flow, but other than that I found myself enjoying the book. It is a little dark, edgy and fascinating, with several twists and an interesting ending. I recommend this book to other YA lovers and  paranormal/fantasy lovers, but the supernatural elements have a different spin to what we are used to seeing and may not be for everyone.

Favorite Quote: "Vaux bandaged face registers nothing. 'Aren't we all like that? All of us with this powerful person inside that we can hardly control but can't ever really let out. The consequences would be too great.'"